• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Kingstanding Swimming Baths

Yes that's right, the open space alongside was post war a coal yard where we queued for coal when there was a shortage (miners working to rule) the first shop to the left was a fish and chip shop.
 
I am not familiar with the area, but, from the c 1937 map, aren't the baths the building marked with an arrow?

View attachment 157916View attachment 157917
I had looked at that map and the aerial view and I can see now that what I thought was a row of houses is actually the main pool building and on the back might be a boiler room and chlorination plant. It looks like the aerial pic has the only view we have of the baths,

Most swimming baths in Birmingham were photographed but for some reason the Kingstanding Baths building was not.
:)
 
I have a vague feeling there was a view on Google Streetview of the Baths, obviously quite a few years ago, before it was demolished. Or maybe it was the old Welfare Centre (next door ?). Could be imagining it. Viv.
 
I remember the main pool as really light and airy. I vaguely remember 3 levels of diving board. I only ever managed level 1. Friends, especially boys, would show off by diving off the top board. Could never do that. Don’t know for sure how high it was, but it must have been around 15ft (?). If so that would have made the deep end at least 20ft.

I remember in swimming lessons from school we’d use a trampette (like a mini trampoline) to practise diving off the side. Always enjoyed it when they wheeled out the trampette.

And remember all those long poles ? I think some were for rescuing swimmers in difficulty and one was like a great big spoon to collect up debris from the pool (like Elastoplast - yuk).

Viv.
 
I have a vague feeling there was a view on Google Streetview of the Baths, obviously quite a few years ago, before it was demolished. Or maybe it was the old Welfare Centre (next door ?). Could be imagining it. Viv.
I thought the Welfare Centre was on the other side of the island. Got me thinking now.
 
mort i am a tad confused trying to line up the map...the welfare centre is on the opposite side of conker island (as we call it) almost in line with christ the king church and school..will take a better look tomorrow
 
I’m probably wrong about the Welfare Centre. Don’t know why I thought it was next to the swimming baths. It was a very long time ago when I last went there. Viv.
 
In all fairness, it’s been a long time since I was there too, so I may be filling in the gaps in my memory. I know there were prefabs on the island and the stream that ran down the middle. It had a back metal fence around it. I seem to have a recollection of a welfare building like the one in Marsh Lane Erdington on the corner of Warren farm Road. There were several of this design across Birmingham, so in my mind it’s easy to imagine there was one here.
 
I went to the swimming baths in Warren Farm Road a few times in the late 50's/ early 60's.
I also remember there was a Youth Employment Office nearby as I had to go there to get my original 'cards' to get a National Insurance number for my first employer. I seem to remember that was also a 1930's building, like the swimming baths.
 
That’s the one I was thinking of ASparks. The Welfare Centre was a 1930s building. My mum took us there for the usual free orange juice, etc. Viv.
 
Great find Mort and a lovely drawing OM. Brings back memories. The balconies above the entrance doors was where the cafe was. Then the opposite side of the cafe looked over the baby pool. Viv.
 
Last edited:
Yes Mort I guess leisure centres became the thing. Crazy really because if we wanted to train Olympic candidates, the 1930s pool would surely have been more suited to that ? As Eric says, a perfectly sound building and fit for purpose ie learning to swim and training future sports men and women. Viv.
 
After the baths had closed, I was walking past it with my my wife and children to visit family not far from the baths, all the doors were wide open and all the kids were running in and out, I went into see who was about and no one was there, they had either forgot to lock the place up or someone had broke in, I was worried in case one of the younger kiddies might fall into the pool, so I had to call the police to either find the key holder or get it boarded up, when the police arrived I carried on to my aunts house, that was the only time I ever went in there
 
Back
Top